Magnetic Hill concert site has undergone numerous improvements to bring this and many other shows to our province

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by Chris Teed

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What started out as a bare field is quickly becoming the premier concert facility in Atlantic Canada.

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The Magnetic Hill concert site has played host to the some of the region's biggest concerts since opening its doors to the Rolling Stones in 2005, providing music fans with an annual dose of superstar acts. Country legends Brooks and Dunn performed in front of 45,000 people in 2006, while Faith Hill and Tim McGraw drew over 50,000 country enthusiasts in 2007. This Saturday, August 2's rock lineup of The Eagles, John Fogerty, KT Tunstall and Sam Roberts is expected to pull in similar numbers.

"Things are going well," says Shane Porter, major events and concerts co-ordinator for the city of Moncton. "The promoter, Donald K Donald, announced a month ago that we were over the 40,000 mark, and tickets have been selling since then. We're looking at a show that's going to do somewhere in the 50,000 range. We already know it's going to be a huge show, and a huge success."

This isn't the first time the Magnetic Hill has been used for large scale events. The field was used during Paul John Paul II's papal visit in 1984, which attracted over 75,000 faithful followers. In 1998, Lynyrd Skynyrd rocked the hill alongside Steppenwolf and Foreigner for 35,000 people.

However, the success of the Rolling Stones concert spurred the city to develop the site for future concerts. Permanent buildings have been erected in an attempt to lower production costs for promoters, and a new wifi connection will enable ticket venders to validate tickets digitally, allowing for a better flow of traffic. Porter thinks these improvements will help attract more promoters to the region.

"We've had some major improvements and infrastructure on site," he says. "We got some backstage buildings and power upgrades that we've been working on for months, and we also have some permanent washroom facilities on site, which is a huge step forward for us. We're trying to make things easier for the promoter and production when they arrive, and also cut down on their costs, which is an important factor in landing shows.

"Our goal is to make a fully operational concert site, and we're getting closer all the time."

The city is also making improvements for concert goers as well. They've recently partnered with Pickup Pal, an online ride sharing group (www.pickuppal.com) that matches rides with drivers in the hopes of cutting down on fuel emissions. Extra bike racks will be installed for those who plan on pedalling to the event, and a shuttle service will also transport people back and forth from the site. Extra transportation options mean extra fans and a lower environmental impact.

"Pickup Pal is working with a number of festivals now," says Porter. "Instead of one or two people going in a car to show, we can have full cars. It's easier to park a smaller number of cars, and it helps with our greening effort. We're working towards making our concerts as green as possible."

Thus far, fans are pleased with the site. Online reviews have raved about the sloping hills and excellent sight lines, and Porter estimates it can hold more than the 85,000 The Rolling Stones drew in 2005. Either way, he says concerts of this magnitude have a positive economic impact on the community.

"The last three years have been great for Moncton and the province, and we expect big things this year as well," he says. "It's real tough to judge on the front end, but it could be in the millions based on the numbers thus far."

The success of these concerts, and the improvements made to the Magnetic Hill facility, could result in even more concerts in the coming years. Moncton's central Maritime location is a huge plus for promoters looking for a large population base to draw from, and lowered production costs could make the difference when deciding between a tour date in Moncton and a tour date in Maine. Porter is optimistic that residents will be seeing more superstar lineups heading this way in the near future.

"The Eagles are one of the biggest concert tours going this summer, and the fact that we're able to work with a promoter that has landed that show for Moncton is fantastic," he says. "If we keep making improvements to the site, and get closer and closer to making the site a turnkey operation for promoters, we'll stay in the front of mind when promoters are doing these large shows. It's been a process, but it seems to be working."

General admission tickets are still available for Saturday's show at Magnetic Hill, Moncton. The $159 tickets (that's the total after taxes and fees are added), can be purchased at all Sobeys outlets across Atlantic Canada, online at tickets.moncton.ca or by phone at 1-888-720-5600 or at the show, the day of the show. Gates open at 1 p.m.